World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin has hinted that Six Nations and Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches could be played in the United States.
This as the sport’s global governing body ramps up efforts to grow rugby in the States ahead of the 2031 World Cup.
The USA will host the men’s tournament for the first time, and preparations are already well underway.
Gilpin confirmed at a press conference on Friday that 27 American cities and regions have applied to stage matches, featuring 33 potential venues ranging from NFL arenas to college football grounds.
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Among the applicants are Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Seattle, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston and Washington DC – underlining the country’s ambition to deliver a landmark tournament.
But with rugby’s popularity in the US still developing, World Rugby is exploring ways to raise the sport’s profile ahead of 2031.
Saturday’s Test between Ireland and New Zealand at Soldier Field in Chicago – a venue familiar to rugby fans after the All Blacks’ shock defeat there in 2016 – forms part of that push.
Speaking before the match, Gilpin revealed that more one-off fixtures could be played stateside, potentially including games from the Six Nations or Rugby Championship.
“There are many different opportunities,” he said. “Can we bring regular season and other games? Can we bring some TRC games? Can we bring in the future Six Nations games here? There are more possibilities we want to explore.”
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Gilpin said the goal is to both incentivise unions and build a sustainable rugby audience in North America.
“Not only will all those unions benefit from the experience and the commercial opportunity, but we will build a rugby audience here which will deliver a brilliant 2031 success for us all,” he said.
Asked about the risk of backlash from traditional fans, Gilpin stressed the importance of fairness and balance.
“We want to find the balance between economic growth and fairness to fans,” he said. “There are a lot of fans of [European] countries here. Why shouldn’t they get the opportunity to attend, if it makes sense in the round?”
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The Six Nations has never been staged outside Europe, while the Rugby Championship this year saw Twickenham host the clash between Argentina and the Springboks.
Photo: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
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